An exclusive new Blu-Ray release of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson‘s much-loved, early Supermarionation series Fireball XL5 comes with its plenty of extras, including a new comic strip featuring space hero Steve Zodiac and crew.

Available now from network distributing direct, the series has been remastered in High Definition from original 35mm film elements for an this limited edition set Blu-ray edition.

The release includes a brand-new “Fireball XL5” comic by Martin Cater and a new “Robert the Robot” animation, too – plus a “scrap book” recreating vintage items of ephemera, including the most accurate ever reproduction of the free gift Fireball model from TV Century 21 issue 3, which was published in early 1965, complete with perforations!

“OKAY, VENUS?” “OKAY, STEVE.” “RIGHT. LET’S GO!”

The year is 2062, and World Space Patrol ship Fireball XL5 is assigned to Sector 25, where intrepid pilot Steve Zodiac, ably assisted by Doctor Venus and Professor Matthew Matic, faces such dangers as planetomic missiles, explosive gas clouds, space spies, and alien races both warlike and benign!

Network’s deluxe Fireball XL5 box set has already been warmly welcomed by fans, with praise for the generous packaging concept, which includes a brand-new badge and astronaut licence, plus a ‘scrap book’ recreating vintage items of ephemera including the TV Century 21 free gift Fireball model.

Also included is a comic presenting a ‘brand new’ episode of Fireball XL5, “Formula for Trouble”. This has been created by designer and occasional comic creator Martin Cater, using photomontage: episode frame grabs have been cut up, reassembled and combined with brand-new model elements to create an original Fireball adventure, that looks exactly as it would have done on the TV screen.

The technique was developed in an online comic, Lightning 5, also created by Martin, which was given the look of an ersatz Supermarionation production using models and photographic elements, and we can promise more of the same in the not so distant future.

ALL THIS, AND SUPERCAR, TOO!

The deluxe Fireball blu-ray follows hot on the heels of network’s blu-ray release of Supercar, which also found room for a brand-new comic, as we previously reported, created jointly by Martin Cater and Bambos Georgiou.

“The Million Dollar Duck” is a whimsical tale in the style of the series which sees Masterspy exerting himself in a fruitless attempt to snatch what he mistakenly believes to be Supercar.

This serio-comic tale, in glorious black and white, is the first comic strip adaptation of Supercar to appear in print in over a decade, and the first British “Supercar” strip since 1966.

In Supercar, first broadcast in the UK in 1961 and 1962, intrepid pilot Mike Mercury takes to the skies to battle criminals and more, aided by Professor Popkiss and the eccentric Dr. Beaker providing his customary blend of erudition and genius.

Also included in the Supercar blu-ray box set is a book by archive TV historian Andrew Pixley, and a reproduction Supercar pilot licence and badge, re-creating items originally sent out to Supercar Club members in the early 1960s.

Both deluxe box sets are strictly limited editions and are available only from networkonair.com

Fireball XL5: The Complete Series DELUXE LIMITED EDITION [BLU-RAY]

The network exclusive, limited edition set (not available in shops) includes:

• Exclusive, limited edition deluxe packaging
• Brand-new Fireball XL5 comic by Martin Cater
• Brand-new Fireball XL5 scrapbook
• Fireball XL5 WSP Astronaut license and badge
• Robots in Distress: brand-new Robert the Robot animation
• Cloud of a Billion Lights: brand-new Fireball XL5 CD Mini LP audio adventure
• Fireball XL5 home movie show: Walton 8mm cutdowns
• A Wonderland of Stardust documentary
• Drawn in Supermarionation documentary
• A Day in the Life of a Space General colourised version
• Zoom Ice Lolly adverts
• Image gallery

Order your copy here from network direct

Supercar: The Complete Series DELUXE LIMITED EDITION [BLU-RAY]

The network exclusive, limited edition set (not available in shops) includes:

• Deluxe packaging
• Brand-new paperback book on the making of Supercar by Andrew Pixley
• Brand-new Supercar comic by Martin Cater and Bambos Georgiou
• Replica Supercar pilot’s license and badge
• Full Boost Vertical: The Supercar Story documentary
• Audio commentaries with Gerry Anderson on selected episodes
• Archive film material, including background footage, ad bumper and foreign titles
• Bill Mevin’s Supercar Home Movie
• Image galleries

Order your copy here from network direct

Both deluxe box sets are strictly limited editions and are available only from networkonair.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: British Comics, Comics, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, Television

Tags: Andrew Pixley, Bambos Georgiou, Blu-Ray News, downthetubes News, Fireball XL5, Gerry Anderson, Martin Cater, Network Distributing, SF Comics, Supercar, Supermarionation, TV Century 21